Families Manchester issue 26 Mar Apr 11

� Manchester Issue 26 March/April 2011

• Can you afford to work?

• Dancing for mums • The importance of baby exercise BURY’S GORGEOUS NEW BEAUTY SALON FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Fun! Fun! Fun! For everyone

OFFERING ALL ASPECTS OF BEAUTY UNDER ONE ROOF

Special deluxe party packages tailored to suit all ages, needs and budgets

• • • •

Famous Makeover Parties for all ages Teenage Model Parties Any Themed Party available Fun Face Painting & Wild Tattoo parties (perfect for boys & girls) • Arts and Crafts • Bouncy Castles • Free personal invitations • Prizes and party bags for everyone, plus a special gift for the birthday girl or boy Makeovers include hair, light makeup and nail polish

CRB Checked.

Children’s party packages

Gift vouchers available

Prom packages Fabulous packages including Top 2 Toe and Special Occasion Pampering

11 St Johns Gardens, The Rock Shopping Centre, Bury BL9 0NN 0161 763 1175

Mother’s Day package

Garra Rufa natural fish pedicures

Garra Rufa natural fish pedicures

Bride packages

Tel: 0845 241 7855 Mobile: 07930 397710

thebeautyspaltd@gmail.com www.thebeautyspaltd.co.uk

WWW.PARTY-PRINCESS.CO.UK

FAMILIES MANCHESTER READERS GET 15% OFF WHEN SPENDING OVER £10

www.familiesmanchester.co.uk

FREE

The really useful magazine for parents of children aged 0-12

News & Views WHAT do you mean it’s almost Easter! Where have the last few months gone? I can’t keep up!

Elsie’s going to be three on the Royal Wedding day (nice of them to give her a day off) and I’m going to be an unspeakable age at the end of May – needless to say, I found the beginning of 2011 quite unpalatable.

Anyway, by the time you read this daffs will be blooming and chicks cheaping, meaning everything is good in the world. We have a full (and I mean full) four pages of great things to do this spring (Out & About – pages 12-15) and if that wasn’t enough, yet more ideas on how to keep the kids amused over the Easter break on page 11.

If you also need a boost, then make sure you read our Happy Mums feature (page 10), this time on dancing.

See you in May for our Parties issue – yay (I’m having one!)

Helen Ash - Editor editor@familiesmanchester.co.uk 0161 215 0596 www.familiesmanchester.co.uk Families Manchester PO Box 614 Stockport SK4 4WE Mary Culhane – Out & About/Web Editor mary@familiesmanchester.co.uk

Contents 2 News & Views 5 What’s New

Parenting book reviews

6 Babies

The importance of baby exercise

8 Childcare

Can you afford to work?

Big Toddle – huge success!

BARNARDO’S would like to say a BIG thank you to all the under-fives in Greater Manchester, who took part in the Barnardo’s Big Toddle 2010.

Over 7,000 amazing toddlers from the area (along with half a million others from across the UK) took part in a short sponsored walk, and raised a fantastic £36,465 for vulnerable under-fives. The funds raised by each toddler are vital for supporting children in the North West including those with physical and learning disabilities, autism and behavioural problems.

Barnardo’s would love to see

more local tots registering for the Big Toddle in 2011, it’s a great day out and this year is set to be a roaring success – as toddlers are being encouraged to dress up as their favourite safari animals!

You can attend the Big Toddle being held by Barnardo’s over at Heaton Park on 7 July 2011, ask your local pre-school, playgroup or nursery to organise a Toddle, or host your own with family and friends - any time, any place!

To register or find out more, visit www.bigtoddle.co.uk or call 0845 270 9900.

Tatton piglets are twice the fun TATTON Park’s Home Farm welcomed not one but two litters of six piglets within one week at the end of January. The first litter was farrowed by Millie, a pure-bred Middle White sow (her very first litter), and the second by Tallulah the Tamworth sow (her fifth litter).

Millie’s piglets are particularly special as the farm has not had a purebred Middle White litter for over four years. The Middle White breed is considered ‘vulnerable’ on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s watch-list.

It is a very distinctive breed, known for its peculiar ‘vampire bat’ facial features and short stubby nose, making it ideally suited for grazing.

Millie is one of about 300 breeding sows in the country. Jayne Chapman, Farm Manager said: “We’re sure Millie will have her trotters full over the next couple of months but Tallulah will be keeping a watchful eye over her in the next door sty! Visitors will be able to see even more new piglets due in March and April at the farm at weekends and during the Easter holidays.”

Visit www.tattonpark.org.uk or call 01625 374400 for more information.

10 Happy Mums Adult dance classes

11 Easter Ideas

Things to do at home during the hols

12 Out & About

What’s on in March & April

Front cover: image courtesy of Room Seven www.roomseven.com

Designed by Mia Calderisi (DesignsbyMia)info@designsbymia.co.uk. Printed by Warners Midlands PLC 01778 391 000, www.warners.co.uk. Copyright Families Manchester March/April 2011. Colour transparencies and any other original materials submitted for publication are sent at owner’s own risk and, while every care is taken, neither Families nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage. Families Manchester is part of a group, established in 1990 and headed by Families South West London. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence.

We take care in preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of the advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

02 March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk

News & Views Tip Toes branches out into children’s clothes WELL fitted shoes are vital if children’s feet are to develop properly and for the past seven years Rochdale’s Tip Toes has been doing just that.

Tip Toes, based in Norden is the only shop in the area to offer a three-way fitting system that measures not only width and length but also the depth of the foot. And from this spring, this expertise, attention to detail and guaranteed customer satisfaction, is being extended

to include a beautiful range of children’s clothing to complement their quality range of children’s footwear.

The mother and daughter partnership, Anne and Jenna said: “This development has been under consideration for some time, but it was only following our move to larger premises in 2009 that we were able to consider bringing these ideas to fruition. Our aim is to offer parents a range of quality,

Forget Protesting – Start Saving WITH the recent student protests against increased tuition fees still rumbling around us, more and more parents are growing concerned about their children’s future education. As a result of the higher tuition fees, plus exploding living costs, students now face the prospect of finishing university with total debts of well over £30,000.

Although the Government insists that students won’t have to begin repayments until they are earning a decent wage, and that poorer students will be better off than they were under the previous Government’s fee structure, it is still a terrifying figure to be faced with. With such huge sums of money looming in front of parents, many are deciding to start saving now. But the figures are jaw-dropping: if you want to provide your child with the money to leave university debt free, you need to save at least £200 per month from your child’s birth until their 18th birthday (assuming inflation of 2.5% pa and net investment returns of 5.5% pa). And if you don’t start at day one the figures are even worse - delaying the start until your child’s 5th birthday means that you would need to save a whopping £377 per month!

easy-care clothing at an everyday price, but most of all something that the kids want to wear”.

The Tip Toes clothing range includes Mini A Ture, Little Legends, Freoli, Oli and English designer Dandy DoDo, which only does 30 pieces in any one design, without the designer price tag, with dresses from £30, trousers from £22 and tops from £16.

Tip Toes, 796a Edenfield Road, Norden, 01706 750322

Mini A Ture at Tip Toes

Girls develop faster than boys WE are all aware of this universal truth, but now figures published by the Department for Education show that more than 50% of five-year-old boys are making too little progress. The data is based on teachers’ observations of hundreds of thousands of five-year-olds, and comes to the conclusion that more than half of all boys in England are not making good enough progress at school by the time they reach the age of five. The children were tested for 13 skills, covering physical, intellectual, emotional and social development, with those that achieved at least six points for each skill as well as scoring well in the social and emotional development category said to be reaching “a good level of development”.

The data showed that 64.9% of girls achieved a good level of development in the tests in 2010, compared with only 46.8% of boys. A spokeswoman from the Department for Education said, “There are still too many children starting school without the solid foundation they need to succeed.

In particular, we are concerned that boys continue to lag behind girls even before they start school, especially in writing.”

Postnatal help from the NCT WHILE becoming a parent for the first (or second!) time can be very exciting, many of us also find it an immense challenge. With concerns over everything from breastfeeding to broken sleep, parents often need somebody to talk to, and this spring the NCT has set up a new Postnatal Line for all parents.

“New parents often feel they are getting everything wrong, while everyone else has the right answer,” says Juliet Pollard, NCT Postnatal

Leader. “At NCT, we think there is no right answer.” Staffed by qualified NCT advisors, the Postnatal Line offers support and information to new parents on everything from sleeping to feeding, establishing baby routines and body image after birth.

The helpline number is 0300 330 0772 and is open 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday, with calls charged at local rates.

For more information go to www.nct.org.uk.

March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk 03

News & Views Brian Cox starts the Revolution at MOSI

L

AST month saw the greatly anticipated full reopening of Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) and Families Manchester caught up with TV Particle Physicist and Oldham lad, Professor Brian Cox at the launch of the brand new Revolution Manchester gallery.

The gallery, which is part of the museum’s £9 million redevelopment project, showcases Manchester’s greatest innovations.

It features the UK’s largest indoor video wall (50 screens), a unique ‘digital chandelier’ which spans three floors and collection items, most of which are displayed for the

first time, which tell the stories of how Manchester has changed the world.

The gallery is very interactive - visitors can play games linked to the replica of ‘Baby’ (the world’s first stored-program computer, built by the University of Manchester in 1948) and a game based around a model of the 1957 ZETA experiment to demonstrate nuclear fusion. It gets visitors to create their own energy by working together to activate a plasma animation.

I asked ex-rock/pop star Brian, who has bases in Saddleworth and London and also works on the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland (is there no end to his talents?) whether he believed Manchester to be the UK’s capital of science.

“Absolutely” he confirmed “If you consider that there have been 25 Nobel Prize winners based in Manchester and that more innovations to influence the world have come out of Manchester than any other part of the UK.”

He was appalled when asked (not by me!) whether he thought we could afford to be spending £9 million on renovating MOSI. He believes this to be a fraction of what we should be spending on making science more accessible to our children and noted that in the UK we have spent more recently on bailing out the banks than has ever, ever been spent on science “since Jesus!” he said to ram his point home. But despite this terrible lack of funding the UK ranks second in the world (only to the mighty US) in science and technology “just think how successful we could be if we invested just a little more money in it.”

I asked MOSI’s director Tony Hill how much funding MOSI received in comparison to say London’s Science Museum. He said bearing in mind that the Science Museum is meant to be the national museum of science (though not exactly accessible to a child from Bolton, let alone the Shetland Isles - Ed) it receives 15 times more

04 March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk

Professor Brian Cox and MOSI’s Tony Hill funding than MOSI. Even taking into consideration how many more visitors the Science Museum gets, this still equates to four times as much funding per visitor!

Brian Cox concluded: “One hundred thousand school children come to MOSI every year. If one of those kids goes on to invent anything like the inventions featured here, we would have paid that £9 million back a million times over.” What are you waiting for? Get your kids down to MOSI! www.mosi.org.uk

What’s New?

Reviewed by Maggie O’Brien Baby’s Here! Who Does What?

By Duncan Fisher Published by GS Press RRP £8.99 (All the profits from this book go to fund Family Info Ltd, which produces half a million health info cards, which are sent out free to midwives to pass on to new parents.)

Duncan Fisher suggests challenging tradition, taking a step back and looking at ways to accommodate both parents. Sharing care, something I think every new parent should look at. He is humorous and points out; the unrealistic ideas prospective parents have, the rut that can so easily develop, and the valid point; “If we haven’t been hands-on with the little ones, we are rarely in a good place when it comes to dealing with stroppy teenagers”. So true.

He looks at the laws around paid leave and how both parents can work and it’s all laid out in short burst chapters with excellent summing up.

Families Rating: ★★★★★✩ Cyberbullying

By Vanessa Rodgers Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers RRP £9.99 This is an informative book that once dipped into makes it feel like an essential read.

Described as a valuable resource particularly to people working with

children and teens, it soon becomes apparent that it would be useful for all parents. It is packed with practical exercises that explore different hypothetical scenarios; how to deal with all kinds of cyberbullying and how to deal with being the bully.

It is punchy and inventive, helping young people face this issue without being alarmist.

I found some of the cyberbullying examples mirror recent cases in the press and this makes it very real.

Families Rating: ★★★★✩✩ Emotional Healing for the Inner Child (A Survivor’s Guide To The journey Of Life)

By Anne Cummings Published by The Book Guild Ltd RRP £17.99 Is the way you react to your children because of your own childhood and upbringing? Do you feel inhibited by some things, possibly associating it unknowingly, with something that happened to you? Have you got the right work/life balance?

Anne Cummings takes us through various stages of our lives likening it to a ferry crossing, looking carefully at the beginning and the various calms and turbulences along the way. Initially sceptical about reading her book, it intrigued me.

I felt like I was being counselled as I read it, even though at times, I felt slightly overwhelmed by some of her references to different psychology studies.

Families Rating: ★★★★★★

Reviewed by Rosie Elphinstone Maths for Mums and Dads

By Rob Eastaway and Mike Askew Published by Square Peg RRP £10.99 Many adults claim that they are ‘hopeless’ at maths, convincing themselves they are in no position either to understand or help their children with maths homework. This book sets out to challenge that premise and to clarify mathematical principles.

It suggests that learning should be fun but that anything worth learning requires effort. Problems are there to be solved – not getting it right first time does not translate into ‘incompetence’.

Whether it removes the terror for the maths phobic, I am not sure, but I have greatly enjoyed this book and have found it enlightening, challenging, instructive and fun, and would highly recommend it to any parent wanting to increase their knowledge and confidence in maths.

Families Rating: ★★★★★✩ Stress-Free Parenting in 12 Steps

By Christiane Kutik Published by Floris Books RRP £7.99 Modern day parenting, with all the pressures of 21st century life, is undoubtedly stressful and I value any book that successfully advises how to avoid the pitfalls that exacerbate the stress levels. This book does so very well, largely because it

draws on sound, traditional values with clear roles, rules and respect.

Each chapter starts with a familiar challenging scenario; the author then demonstrates how deftly to handle these potentially stressful situations, remembering that the parent should always remain in control. I found this book deeply insightful and the advice, in its simplicity, so helpful and achievable, and I would highly recommend it.

Families Rating: ★★★★★✩

Reviewed by Emilie Amos Babynomics: Money Saving Tips for Smart Parents

By Madeline Thomas Published by White Ladder Press RRP £9.99 If you are shocked by the terrifying fact that it costs up to £200,000 to raise each child until the age of 18, then this book is definitely for you. It illustrates how you can cut the alarming cost of bringing up children so you can give them the quality of life you want.

Great money-saving tips are given, including how to feed a family of four for under £50 a week and how to organise a memorable birthday party for under £30. Invaluable advice is also given on financial topics ranging from statutory maternity pay to making a will.

Families Rating: ★★★★★✩ For more book reviews by real parents go to www.familiesonline.co.uk/reviews

March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk 05

Babies Baby Exercise – not just a fad

By Joanna Parry

I

N recent years, new mums have found that there has been an explosion of classes for babies, from baby massage to music, signing to singing, gymnastics to yoga.

Many of these classes are valuable both for baby’s development as well as a way of meeting other mums, but recently research has been undertaken that pushes the importance of some of these classes to the fore, with the theory that exercise in infancy is vital in maintaining a child’s lifelong health. This may seem like a fad, but concerned parents are flocking to exercise classes catering for children of all ages, including those too young to even crawl.

The science

According to some paediatric experts, parents who use prams, playpens, car seats and bouncing chairs for hours at a time may be delaying not only their child’s physical development but their mental development too. “The need for even the very young to be physically active is something parents often don’t understand,” says Jane Clark of the University of Maryland, USA. “The earlier infants and toddlers get exposure to daily movement and exercise, the better the likelihood of healthy development in later life.” In

fact, regular exercise in the very young encourages the kind of development that may be critical for health in later life, as during infancy the brain is developing pathways and connections to the muscles.

Children who do not get enough exercise may miss out on the chance to make the strong kinds of brain-muscle connections that make physical activity easier, more enjoyable and more likely to become a life-long habit avoiding obesity and other weight-related conditions. The lesson learned – keep your baby active and it will set them up for a healthier life.

Early days

Although it may not seem like much, a newborn baby’s daily routine of changing, bathing, crying and growing is enough exercise for them. In fact, a newborn is exercising many of its muscles in the very act of feeding at the breast, and crying is important for the lungs and diaphragm and plays a large part in the development of the baby’s musculature. One exercise you can do at this stage is baby massage, a great way to physically and emotionally bond with your baby, and a soothing and relaxing experience for babies. You can do baby massage at home or in a class - for tips go to www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_ health/child_development/ babies_massage.shtml or www.makewayforbaby.com/ massages.htm

www.littlekickers.co.uk Approved football training for kids aged 18 months to 7 years Classes in Altrincham, Bowdon, Didsbury, Sale and Urmston For details on classes in: Timperley, Didsbury, Lymm, Heaton Moor, Heaton Mersey, Reddish & Hale Barns Call Jacqui on 01925 269136 jacquelinelamb_1@hotmail.com

Bramhall, Glossop, Hyde, Wilmslow, Marple, Mossley, Cheadle & Stalybridge Call Laura on 0161 431 0674 laurajingles@hotmail.com

NEW CLASSES in Heaton Moor & Bramhall

0161 442 5713 aleete@littlekickers.co.uk

Where learning’s a ball 06 March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk

Babies Exercise classes

Once a baby reaches four months, there are a plethora of baby exercise classes out there.

This doesn’t mean your baby needs to take weight-lifting classes down the gym (in fact, there are no dumbbells involved at all!), but parents keen to give their little one a good start in life are looking to yoga, swimming and developmental play classes for their tots.

• Start with a baby massage class, where simple massage techniques help stimulate your baby’s senses. Many local health services run free massage classes and there are plenty of private classes around too.

• Baby yoga is a great way to encourage baby-parent interaction. Through free-flowing movement, touch and sound, babies learn better coordination, sitting and standing techniques and motor skills. Proponents of yoga say it also helps alleviate problems such as colic and constipation.

“You do things like bend their legs, push their knees up to their chests and make hip circles,” says Sally, mum of two. “You can be surprisingly firm as you move them around as they are so flexible, and they seem to like being manipulated.” Try www.yoga-manchester.co.uk, www.yoyogis.com and www.pregnancyyogamanchester.co.uk • Baby Swimming – babies are born with natural swimming reflexes which, if not developed, they lose at 8-10 months.

Swimming not only helps with bonding, but exercise in the water is particularly good because it

supports the weight of the baby.

Greater Manchester has some great baby swimming schools covering most areas, so there’s bound to be one near you.

Check out www.splishsplosh swimmingschool.com, www.aquababies.co.uk and www.waterbabies.co.uk for classes.

• Baby music, singing and movement classes have sprung up across the UK in recent years, with sessions for babies as young as three months. Classes teach babies and toddlers about rhythm, movement, coordination skills and dance whilst stimulating the senses. For classes in North Manchester check out www.jabberjacks.co.uk and for South Manchester try www.jojingles.com

Exercise at home

Baby exercise classes may be fun, but some can cost upwards of £10 per session and with many of the free, SureStart-organised classes rapidly disappearing, filling your baby’s day with a range of activities can become expensive.

The good news is there are plenty of exercises you can do with your baby at home.

3-6 month old babies: • Lie your baby on a blanket and put toys in front. Encourage your baby to reach and try to grasp them. A baby gym with hanging toys is great too.

• Finger pull exercise – put your baby on their back and offer your two fingers. When they catch them successfully, lift your hands.

Most of the time your baby will leave your hand quickly, but as

you play they will hold tighter and hang on for longer.

touching and roll the ball back and forth, stretching in the process.

• Play peek-a-boo or other games that will encourage your baby to imitate you.

• Give your baby supervised tummy-time every day to help with crawling.

• Practise rolling in both directions.

Any kind of movement that your baby enjoys is good - bouncing on your knee, standing with support or “flying” through the air all help to strengthen their bodies.

Older babies: • Sit your baby on the bed with your hands a few inches away.

When your baby inclines to one side, help them sit upright again.

This will help with balance and develop trunk strength.

• With your baby on their tummy, roll a ball so they have to extend their arms to grasp it and roll it back to you. Alternatively, sit facing each other with your feet

• Your baby’s attempts to crawl will help them exercise as they work to push themselves forward. Motivate baby to move by clapping your hands and motioning to come towards you.

• If your baby is trying to stand, encourage them to move towards you.

Remember, whatever exercises you do with your baby, they will enjoy it. “These activities are not done to babies, they are done with babies,” says Francoise Barbira Freedman, the founder of Birthlight, a charity which runs infants’ yoga and aquatic classes.

“The aim is to help parents bond with their new child, and to instill an enjoyment of exercise from the start of life.”

Want to learn to swim?

Teacher in the pool. Small S groups.

Lessons for ages 3 months + DW S Sports Fitness, Trafford Mon: 2pm to 6pm Thurs: 2pm to 6pm Fri: 2pm to 6pm Sat: 9am to 12pm Sun: 9am to 12pm

0844 264 1102 (local call rate)

www.splishsploshswimmingschool.com e:info@splishsploshswimmingschool.com

March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk 07

Childcare The cost of paid work Having a job when your children are young just got more expensive.

Joanna Moorhead explains why

W

E’RE all in this together – we’ve all heard that, many times, from our politicians about our country’s financial problems.

But from April, if you’re a working parent you could be forgiven for thinking you were maybe taking more than your fair share of the hit.

Why so? Well, that’s when cuts to state-funded help with childcare announced in last year’s comprehensive spending review start to kick in: and what they’ll mean is a cut in income of up to £1,300 a year to some families, according to the thinktank Resolution Foundation.

Chancellor George Osborne announced last year that the percentage of childcare costs recoverable through the working tax credit system would be reduced from 80% to 70% this month. But, says the Resolution Foundation, many families are still unaware of the changes – and, says its chief executive Gavin Kelly, those on middle-to-low incomes are the ones likely to find the losses

Image courtesy of Room Seven, www.roomseven.com

Children’s Indoor Play Centre

• • • •

electric go karts home cooked food winter heating excellent party options available

Open:

Mon-Fri 9:30am-7pm Sat & Sun 9:30am-6pm

Offer:

Weekly Activities: Toddler Mornings - Wed & Thur 10-11:30 am Baby Boppers - Mondays 1:45-2:30pm

Please bring this coupon for 1 FREE child’s ENTRY (Mon-Fri term time only)

1 minute from the Trafford Centre

0161 872 9434

www.landofplay.co.uk

08 March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk

hardest to bear.

“Many parents find support with childcare costs absolutely essential to staying in work, and the big worry is that some will now find that work doesn’t pay,” he says. And he points out that, coming after recent rises in travel costs, the cuts come at a time when families are feeling the pinch very hard indeed.

After all, for working parents childcare cuts don’t just represent a loss of income: they force parents to think about whether working when their children are young is actually worth the effort at all. Given that the government is committed to helping parents to work if they want to, that doesn’t make much sense.

To be totally fair about it, of course, a two-parent family should view the costs of childcare as a proportion of their joint income. But in practice, how it’s seen by most couples is as a proportion of the mother’s wage.

And if the proportion of that income spent on travel, lunches and childcare becomes too high, then many mothers start to think: what’s the point of carrying on working?

After all, life is hard enough when you’ve got a small child or small children; if the money you’re bringing

Childcare in is making a big material difference to your family, then it’s worth it. But when it ceases to do that, you might as well reduce the stress in your own life and increase the amount of time you spend with your child or children, and quit work.

The problem in the UK, as compared with many other countries in Europe, is that childcare costs already eat up a huge proportion of a family’s income – 33%, according to recent figures from the OECD, compared with 4% of a family’s income in Belgium, 11% of a family’s income in France, and even compared with 19% of a family’s income in the US. And many campaigners argue that failing to invest in childcare, and so reducing the proportion of a family’s income spent on childcare, is failing the long-term economic future of the country.

After all, working mothers are extremely valuable to the economy: they’re paying into their pensions, they’re learning new skills, they’re keeping their confidence up, and even if they only tread water while their children are young, they’re keeping connected with the world of work in a way that will make it much easier to up a gear when their children are at school.

From the government’s point of view, of course, the changes to working tax credits are all part of a cuts package that has to affect everyone in the land. This month’s changes to the childcare element of the credit will save £270m next year, rising to £385m by 2014-15.

The policy is one of several deficit reduction measures which will hit families, including an end to the £250 child trust fund for new babies, and

The cost of childcare: what mums say I’VE got two children aged two and three, and to be honest I reckon it costs me to work. Around 70% of my income goes on childcare, and the rest is eaten up in travel, lunches and clothes to wear for work. I keep telling myself that it’s a long-term investment in my capacity to work when the children are older and at full-time school, but there are days when that rings very hollow indeed. The truth is that it’s a real slog, working so hard when you’ve got small children...somewhere in your mind you know they’re happiest when they’re with you, and you know you’re happiest when you’re with them, and if you’re not even making money out of it, there comes a point when you think: why bother. (Julie, 37, works in marketing) I’ve worked out that unless I can earn at least £35,000 a year, it’s simply not worth going back – so, for the moment, I’ve decided to stay at home. What worries me is how I’ll get back into the job market – I feel that while I’m at home I’m not getting the kind of experience employers are interested in, and that my confidence will be much-diminished by the time I’m ready to put in job applications again. Like many working parents I’d rather work part-time than full-time, but working part-time means an even lower salary, and you still have to get yourself into the office, buy lunches and so on, and that costs a huge amount.

What I need is a system under which my children could get good, affordable childcare so that I could at least keep my toe in the water with my job, for the long-term. (Suzy, 34, former curator)

the cutting of child benefit from 2013 to families where one parent is a higher-rate taxpayer.

What’s especially unfair is that, if women leave the workplace when their children are tiny, they often find their working choices hugely reduced when they try to return to work three, or five, or even 10 years down the line.

And given that we’re being encouraged to anticipate living longer, and working for longer, that makes no sense.

More information

Daycare Trust: www.daycaretrust.org.uk/ Working Families: www.workingfamilies.org.uk/ Childcare tax credits: www.direct.gov.uk/childcare

Are you making the most of Childcare Vouchers?

by Eleanor Patel of Bamboo Childcare EASTER is coming and for working parents with school-aged children this can be both a logistical and financial concern.

According to a leading provider of childcare vouchers, parents are missing out on thousands of pounds of savings for after-school and holiday childcare.

Figures from Computershare Voucher Services (CVS) show that the majority of childcare vouchers are generally used on nursery care (68% on average each month) compared to 8% of parents who use the vouchers for afterschool care or activities. Even during the summer months, very little voucher uptake was recorded for daytime activities and holiday activities.

For example did you realise that vouchers can be used for the following once your child has started school and for children up to the age of 15 yrs (most have to be registered and regulated for vouchers to be used): • Out of school clubs • Childminder • Nanny • Extra curricular activities • Holidayclubs or schemes • Activity holidays including Camp Beaumont, PGL and Supercamps.

Also thanks to new legislation introduced in 2008, schools that offer qualifying childcare can now accept Childcare Vouchers. This could include activities such as music lessons and sports clubs, providing they are: • invoiced separately to compulsory education fees; • taking place after school hours; • are not a part of the National Curriculum; • Taking place on the premises that forms part of the school’s annual inspection.

For those that claim childcare tax credits please be mindful that using a childcare voucher scheme can significantly affect the amount you get (please read the following link for useful information www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/ childcare-vouchers#low) With Easter approaching it is worth checking what additional activities, and childcare options are available where vouchers can be utilised, so you don’t miss out!

For further information on how to utilise childcare vouchers to employ a Nanny and the benefits for your family of this childcare option visit www.bamboochildcare.co.uk or contact Eleanor or Hayley on 0844 822 5727

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada Hush Puppies Naturino Garvalin Pediped Richter Replay GBB Mini A Ture Little Legends Freoli Oli Dandy DoDo

Children’s Shoes & Clothing 796a Edenfield Rd, Norden, Rochdale OL12 7RB Tel: 01706 750322

March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk 09

Happy Mums I’ll have what she’s having …

By Kate Birch & Helen Ash

D

ANCE can lift you emotionally and spiritually as much as physically.

You can dance your way through disappointment or revitalise your routine.

Dance can help take you through a process of healing. Dance can make you happy!

Do you think you can’t dance? In fact, everyone can dance and there is a dance for everyone, so don’t worry if you have two left feet and the ungainliness of a wildebeest.

Dancing to ease the troubled spirit The ‘5Rhythms’ dancing concept comprises a simple movement practice designed to release the dancer in everyone, no matter what your shape, size, age, limitations or experience. Peter Brown runs 5Rhythms classes in Chorlton, he explains: “To find your dance is to find yourself, at your most fluid and creative level. The primary teaching of this work is: If you put the psyche in motion, it will heal itself.”

Rather than having steps to follow, each rhythm is a different energy field in which you find your own expression and choreography, thereby stretching your imagination as well as your body. To find out more visit www.allicandoisdance.co.uk Dancing because you always wanted to Of course for many of us with daughters, our first brush with formal dance classes is the local ballet school. Who can resist the gauzy skirts and delightful absurdity of the first show? And here I put my hands up.

My daughter took ballet as soon as she was old enough, partly because of my frustrated ambitions. (Happily, she loved it.)

And I am not the only frustrated ballerina.

More and more dance schools are offering ballet for adults. Ballet teacher, Lucy Clay is keen to emphasize how good it is for flexibility and posture, particularly for those of us who have spent years carrying children around on one hip.

Dancing for the fun of it But if ballet is not for you, why not go all Gene Kelly and try tap? When a mutual friend asked Jenny if she would mind talking

Blitz Modern Jive at Stockport Town Hall to me about her classes, “she broke into a spontaneous dance.” Jenny embraced tap when she retired after more than 25 years working as a mental health nurse and her enthusiasm is bountiful: “You feel you’ve got a permanent smile on your face. It’s painting by numbers but dancing… counting by rhythm and patterns.”

Or what about street dance? Fresh Vibes offer adult street dance courses in Altrincham with free taster sessions for everyone including complete beginners. www.freshvibesdance.com. Or try www.streetdanceuk.com for street dance and hip hop classes in Bolton, Bury, Manchester and Stockport.

You could try the cardio dance craze that is Zumba, an energetic combination of Latin rhythms and easy moves and there is a real demand for it – hence classes literally all over Greater Manchester. Registered Zumba instructors can be found at www.zumba.com Going all Strictly For those inconsolable at the end of the recent Strictly Come Dancing series, the only choice is ballroom and you can find local classes at www.uk-ballroom.co.uk For true Strictly addicts, Donaheys who have classes throughout Tameside are hosting a ‘Dance Break’ in May with Strictly’s Anton du Beke and Erin Boag (I’m seriously tempted – Ed)! www.donaheys.co.uk.

Or the Leesa Vain Dance Academy in Middleton specialises in latin, ballroom and disco freestyle and Leesa’s students (including adults) regularly win medals at competitions. They also offer lessons in Zumba, street dance and pole dancerise www.lvdanceacademy.co.uk For a more gentle introduction to partnered dancing and a fun night out with friends, head along to Blitz Modern Jive at Stockport Town Hall (Weds nights). I (Ed) went along for a taster and had a great time. You have a big group

10 March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk

lesson to start, swapping partners every couple of minutes, then all beginners go off for a more intensive lesson and then back into the main hall to practise your moves (don’t worry there are no wall flowers here). All for just £7, plus they have a licensed bar. For more info visit www.blitzjive.com Or you could try Ceroc, a modern fusion of salsa, ballroom, hip-hop, tango and jive. www.ceroc.com has details of classes is Hyde, Poynton and Wigan In the end, however, dancing does not have to be about fake tan and sparkly make-up. It doesn’t even have to be something you do in a class or have any talent at. So kick off your shoes (or strap on your heels), put the music on and dance. Dance with your partner, dance with your friends, dance with your kids.

Just dance!

(Those with medical concerns should always check with their GP before attempting any kind of dance class.)

More local dance schools Sunshine Studios have locations in Manchester and Bolton and have adult dance classes in just about everything you can imagine, from tap and ballet to burlesque, flamenco, lindy hop and waacking (see their website to find out what this is) www.sunshine-studios.co.uk Manchester Dance Centre again offers a plethora of adult classes from classical to belly dancing and pole dancing www.manchesterdancecentre.co.uk Starlight Performing Arts Academy in Stockport has adult classes in ballet, tap, Bollywood and burlesque to name a few and ‘Adult Glee Club’! www.starlightperformingarts.co.uk

Easter Activities Enjoy quality time with your kids this Easter castles out of rubbish to dens in the garden, but when you run out of ideas, here are a few more.

By Joanna Parry WHETHER you’re a working parent looking to spend time with your brood over the Easter weekend, or a full-time mum desperate to fill a long school holiday, here are a few ideas to try out with your children. With a bit of planning and a few inspired ideas, you can avoid the tantrums and arguments and tear your darlings away from the TV and the Wii and enjoy the Easter break, rather than finding yourself counting down the days until school starts again!

Plan the day The holidays are a great time to bring back some of the old fashioned games and spend real time with your kids. It can be hard at first, throwing yourself into games and activities, but this is the stuff that childhood memories are made of. It is important to plan your day: write out a holiday timetable of activities such as painting and board games for the morning and playing in the garden and a small amount of TV in the afternoon. If you let them drift from one cartoon to the other they’ll get frustrated very soon!

Activities at home With a little thought, you can come up with dozens of fun things to do at home, from building

• Let your hair down and release your inner-child.

Roll around in the garden with your kids, make mud pies, dig for worms and make dens out of sheets and washing lines.

• Hard boil some eggs and paint with food colouring. When they are dry they are great for egg rolling - if you haven't got a hill, a slide will do!

• Water painting - paint with a clean paintbrush and a pot of water outside on walls, paving slabs, fences. It’s very effective and the sun removes the evidence!

• Put a cloth on the floor as a picnic rug and serve lunch on the living room floor.

• Home camping – hang a tablecloth over furniture, add a torch and a sleeping bag and have some fun!

• Decorate biscuits by mixing icing sugar and water in a bowl to make runny icing and decorate with sprinkles or smarties.

• Pass the parcel. Why save it for parties? Your kids can do the wrapping too using old newspaper, with prizes as simple as a sticker or packet of raisins.

• Make pasta jewellery.

• Roll a sheet of newspaper into a ball and play volleyball over a washing line.

• Make salt dough with 3 cups of plain flour, 1 cup salt and 1 cup water. Model it like playdough and dry out finished models in a cool oven. Then paint and varnish.

• Treasure hunt - hide toys or sweets around the home and give your kids clues to find them.

Kids like setting the hunts too. Alternatively, devise a nature trail where they have to find a series of items such as different coloured leaves.

• Set up a home cinema in your living room: close the curtains, rearrange the furniture, make tickets and prepare snacks before putting on

your favourite DVD. • Apple bobbing. Float an apple in a bowl of water and get your kids to try to bite it without using their hands. If you don't mind mess you can repeat the game with a chocolate or grape in a bowl of flour!

• Set up an obstacle course in the garden with buckets, chairs, tables, gardens rakes…anything goes really!

• The holidays are the perfect time to clear out old toys or games and replace them with new finds from the charity shop or swap with friends.

Take the chance to reintroduce some traditional board games and toys into the mix.

• Encourage your kids to dig a vegetable patch of their own in your garden. If you don’t have any outside space, make a mini garden by filling a plant tray with earth and arranging small sprigs of leaves, daisies and grass over the soil. Try small pebbles for paths and foil for a pond.

Invite their friends over When you’ve run out of ideas, invite your children’s friends over to play. You may think double the children means double trouble, but it’s often easier for them to have playmates around to entertain each other. It also means they will get invited back, giving you a much-needed break!

Don’t interfere If you have more than one child and they are playing nicely together let them get on with it.

You don’t have to be involved in everything they are doing!

Give them some jobs to do for pocket money Children like to earn their own money and to get a bit of responsibility – they will often jump at the chance to do a chore that you have been putting off for ages.

Give them a treat Take them on a trip to a theme park, swimming pool or cinema as a special treat. If you’re looking for more organised fun or just want to get out with the kids, then look no further than our Out & About section (overleaf) and for even more events and activities visit our website www.familiesmanchester.co.uk/whatson

Pottery Painting Studio

Brookside Pottery

Make a unique Mother’s day present Free train ride with every party

Paint an Easter pot Pottery Parties All ages welcome

Brookside Garden Centre, Macclesfield Rd, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1BY Mob: 07961 838753 or 07946 637499

www.brooksidepottery.com

March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk 11

Out and About & About Exhibitions IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH An Ocean Apart: Child evacuees in the Second World War Discover remarkable true stories and learn about some of the children evacuated further from home than anyone else in this small but intriguing display for families.

This free display marks 70 years since the evacuation programme was at its peak - with almost 1.4 million evacuees living away from home within the UK and abroad in spring 1941.

Learn about the children who were sent to countries such as Canada, Australia and South Africa.

See personal accounts, letters and photographs, revealing the story of children who were sent by parents to stay with family overseas. Learn about others, who were evacuated through the Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB), a scheme which was brought to an end just a few months after it was set up when 77 child evacuees were killed as the ship taking them overseas was sunk in the Atlantic.

12 March – 25 September Open daily 10am - 5 pm Free www.iwm.org.uk/north

Until Sun 6 March

THE PEOPLE’S HISTORY MUSEUM Happy Birthday Help the museum celebrate its first birthday in its new building and take part in birthday themed events for all ages. Get creative at the birthday craft table and try some birthday cakes in the cafe. All day 0161 839 9190 www.phm.org.uk

Thu 3 March

GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE World Book Day Mad Hatters Tea Party including book themed fancy dress and prize for Alice in Wonderland character costume. Plus Special Story Time, creative activities and a drink and biscuit!

4.30 – 5.30 pm.

Glo members and Glo first timers.

0844 800 7380 www.glofamily.com WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE Busy Bodies Dance and music for pre-school children and their carers. £2.50 per child, adults free. Drop in 10.15 – 11 am and 11.15 am – 12 noon 0161 912 5616 www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Fri 4 March

GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE Film Club To celebrate World Book Day the film is The Cat in The Hat with free popcorn!

4 pm. Glo members & Glo first timers 0844 800 7380 www.glofamily.com

Sat 5 March

BURY ART GALLERY Saturday Workshop: Drawing Draw an African safari picture.

2 – 3.30 pm, 4 – 12 years, £2 per child Booking necessary.

0161 253 5878 www.bury.gov.uk/events

MANCHESTER MUSEUM Living planet See natural history as you’ve never seen it before in the Manchester Museum’s new Living Planet gallery.

Explore the connections between all living things and demonstrate how we can all shape the future by the choices we make. Thought-provoking displays look at a range of topics including nature and different human attitudes towards plants and animals, supporting and encouraging visitors to make positive choices – small or large – and to get involved in

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH Shipshape Saturdays: Watery Weavers While at sea, sailors did their own sewing and were issued ‘ditty bags’ to keep their sewing kit in. Fun for the whole family with woven crafts and create your own unique paper weaving panel.

1 pm & 4 pm 0161 836 4000 www.iwm.org.uk/north IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH What a Performance: All Aboard Special family friendly performances dramatising stories of bravery, adventure and endurance at sea.

11.15 am, 12.15 pm, 2.15 pm & 3.15 pm.

Main Exhibition Space 0161 836 4000 www.iwm.org.uk/north KERSAL MOOR LOCAL NATURE RESERVE, SALFORD Wild navigating Fun for the whole family with this wildlife orienteering course. You never know what you’ll find on the moor!

Meet at Moor Lane entrance (near the church). 1.30 – 3.30 pm. Free 0161 793 4219 www.salford.gov.uk/countryparks THE LOWRY Saturday Playhouse – Peter and the Wolf’s paw prints Create your own art pieces and have fun exploring print making.

Ages 5 – 11. 11 am – 12.30 pm. £3.50 (£1.75 Salford residents). The Studio 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE The Frog Prince and other Peculiar Tales from Terry Jones Fairy Tales A magical & witty one-woman adaptation of the famous froggy tale, exploring the endearing relationship between princess and frog, puppet and performer. Enter a world where absolutely anything can happen ... and usually does.

2.30 pm. £6.50 / £4.50 Age 5+, duration 50 mins 0161 912 5616 www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

shaping a future that’s better for themselves, future generations and the environment.

Old favourites including the Polar Bear, Tiger and Sperm Whale skeleton will be displayed alongside new animals including a rare Tigon that used to live in a local zoo, which are being prepared specifically for the gallery.

From 14 April Open 10 am – 5 pm Tues – Sat & 11 am – 4 pm Sun & Mondays www.museummanchester.ac.uk

Sun 6 March

CHEADLE Kids Car Boot and Swap Shop Sell or swap your unwanted toys, games and clothes in this special kids event in aid of Barnardos. At Kingsway Lower School.

10 am – 12.30 pm (stallholders from 9 am) £10 per pitch. Entrance fee 50p (entitles unlimited swaps).

07748 601 248 www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.uk

Mon 7 March

BURY ART GALLERY Saturday Workshop: Giant Puppets Make any puppet you want, as long as it is BIG! (See Sat 5 March) IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH Shipshape Saturdays (See Sat 5 March) IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH What a Performance: All Aboard (see Sat 5 March)

Tue 8 March

LYME PARK Marvellous Mums Decorate a porcelain plant pot and make a card – the perfect gift for Mother’s Day. Children of all ages welcome. Garden admission applies. 1 – 3 pm £5, NT members free 01663 762023 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lymepark

Thu 10 March

ST LUKE’S CHURCH HALL, NORTHUMBERLAND ROAD, BRINNINGTON Make Your Own Lantern for the Brinnington Lantern Procession (See Sat 26 March) Free – all welcome. 12.30 – 6 pm Children must be accompanied by an adult 0161 480 7663 www.stockport.gov.uk

THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Drama Adventures Bringing the artworks to life through storytelling, role-play and drama.

10.30 – 11.30 am or 11.30 am – 12.30 pm.

Booking necessary. 0161 275 7450 www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk THE PEOPLE’S HISTORY MUSEUM Living History performance: The Hard Way Up – A Suffragette’s Story Watch this Living History character based on the life of suffragette Hannah Mitchell.

Over 9s. No booking required Free. 2.30 – 3.15 pm 0161 839 9190 www.phm.org.uk WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE Busy Bodies (See Thu 3 March)

Fri 11 March

THE LOWRY Under 5s First Steps A fun dance session designed to get everyone boogying! Bring your own little movers and watch them learning balance, coordination and agility.

Ages 2½ - 4½. 10 – 10.45 am & 11 – 11.45 am £3.50 (£1.75 Salford residents) The Studio, booking recommended 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

Sat 12 March

BOLTON ROAD METHODIST CHURCH, BOLTON RD, BURY NCT Nearly New Sale 11 am – 12.30 pm www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.info

12 March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk

THE PEOPLE’S HISTORY MUSEUM Quilt brooch making Be inspired by the International Women’s Day Manchester Quilt and create your own quilt brooch.

Over 10s. Booking required. £2. 2 – 4 pm 0161 839 9190 www.phm.org.uk

Mon 14 March

THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Art Adventures Enjoy a story adventure while creating your own mini masterpiece to take home.

10.30 – 11.30 am or 11.30 am – 12.30 pm.

Booking necessary 0161 275 7450 www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

Out and About Thu 17 – Sun 20 March

ST LUKE’S CHURCH HALL, NORTHUMBERLAND ROAD, BRINNINGTON Make Your Own Lantern for the Brinnington Lantern Procession (See Sat 26 March) Free – all welcome. 12.30 – 6 pm Children must be accompanied by an adult 0161 480 7663 www.stockport.gov.uk

Tue 22 March

Sun 27 March

Thu 17 March

THE LOWRY Saturday Playhouse – Revealing Rub-outs Build up the layers of an image then using pastels and crayons create your own giant circus scene rubbings inspired by the Moscow State Circus (See Sat 5 March)

Thu 24 March

THE LOWRY The Dragon’s Daughter Blunderbus Theatre Company One starry night, a tiny ball of light fell from the sky. And there, in the darkness, was a baby dragon! With bewitching music and beautiful hand-carved puppets this is a funny and moving story about a brave little boy and a scared little dragon, who grow to become the very best of friends.

Ages 4 - 7. 12 noon and 2.30 pm. £8.50 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

THE LOWRY Moscow State Circus Returning with their award-winning show Legenda featuring breath-taking balancing, a frenzy of gymnasts, body-twisting contortionists and awardwinning clowns. A big treat for the whole family.

Tickets from £14 - £24 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE Busy Bodies (See Thu 3 March)

Sat 19 – Sun 20 March

QUARRY BANK MILL, STYAL Just what the Doctor ordered Discover more about medicine at the Mill as part of Science week. Learn about the poultices, lotions and leeches used to treat the Mill workers and Apprentices.

12 noon – 3 pm 01625 445 845 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarrybankmill

Sat 19 March

OCTAGON THEATRE, BOLTON The Worm that Squirmed

THE MANCHESTER MUSEUM Big Saturday: The body experience A day of hands-on activites about the body’s organs.

Human body tour – collect your “passport” and travel around your body with the aid of scientists at the University of Manchester.

Make your own mark and help make a gigantic picture of the human body in ‘Body Rangoli’ 11 am – 4 pm. Drop in, free, all ages welcome 0161 275 2648 www.manchester.ac.uk/museum THE MANCHESTER MUSEUM Family Friendly Film screening 12 – 1 pm, book on the day, free and all ages welcome. 0161 275 2648 www.manchester.ac.uk/museum

Wonderful puppets and live music tell the story of a squirmy worm who causes chaos wherever he goes. A visual feast of farce crossing cultural borders in crazy pursuit of the worm.

Ages 5 +. Tickets £8 (£6 concessions) Matinees 11 am and 2 pm 01204 520661 www.octagonbolton.co.uk BOLTON ROAD PLAYING FIELDS, SALFORD March Hairballs Come and make some kooky little critters in this pompom workshop All families welcome, meet at the gazebo 11 am to 1 pm. Free 0161 793 4219 www.salford.gov.uk/parks BURY ART GALLERY Saturday Workshop: Make a Gallery Build your own model gallery, and create the artwork to display in it (See Sat 5 March) CLIFTON COUNTRY PARK Kingfisher kids Activities for families with children aged 5 – 12.

Outdoors and indoors so wear appropriate clothes for the weather.

Meet at the Visitor Centre. 2 – 4 pm. Free.

0161 793 4219 www.salford.gov.uk/cliftoncountry.htm IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH Shipshape Saturdays (See Sat 5 March) IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH What a Performance: All Aboard (See Sat 5 March) PRINCE’S PARK, IRLAM Spring Walk For the whole family. Meet outside Princes Park Garden Centre 10 am to 12 noon. Free 0161 793 4219 www.salford.gov.uk/countryparks

THE MANCHESTER MUSEUM Young Curators Exhibition Come and see what happens when you let a group of teenagers loose at The Manchester Museum! Drop-in, free, all ages 0161 275 2648 www.manchester.ac.uk/museum TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL, BOUNDARY LANE, HULME NCT Nearly New Sale 1 – 2.30 pm www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.info WALKDEN METHODIST CHURCH, MANCHESTER ROAD EAST NCT Nearly New Sale 10.30 am for members, 10.45 am – 12.30 pm general public www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.info WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE ComedySportz Fast-paced comedy improvisation that will have you on your knees with laughter as two teams battle it out for the biggest laughs Ages 8+. 6.30 pm. £6/£4 0161 912 5616 www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

THE PEOPLE’S HISTORY MUSEUM The Little People’s History Museum – Under the Rainbow Help Matilda solve clues to get to the end of the rainbow and find what she is looking for.

Under 5s and their grown ups. Booking advised. £1. 11 am – 12 noon 0161 839 9190 www.phm.org.uk

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE Busy Bodies (See Thu 3 March)

Fri 25 March

THE LOWRY Under 5s First Steps (see Fri 11 March) THE MANCHESTER MUSEUM Magic Carpet: Head, shoulders, knees and toes Storytelling and activity session for under 5s.

Book from 18 March, £1 per child Under 5s and their families/carers 11 am – 12 pm. 0161 275 2648 www.manchester.ac.uk/museum

Sat 26 March

BRINNINGTON RD, STOCKPORT Brinnington Lantern Procession Be part of something illuminating and amazing.

Join in the 13th Brinnington Lantern Procession with its regal wedding theme. Follow the magical sea of light as it twists and winds its way with your own lantern made at one of the free workshops (see diary listings).

Starting at First House, Brinnington Rd at 6.30 pm and finishing at Brinnington Park, Northumberland Rd. Please note under 8 years may not carry a lantern in the parade and all children must be accompanied by an adult.

0161 480 7663 www.stockport.gov.uk BURY ART GALLERY Saturday Workshop: Disguise Yourself Protect your identity with funny face parts.

(See Sat 5 March) CHEADLE HULME METHODIST CHURCH, RAMILLIES AVENUE Stockport NCT Spring/Summer Nearly New Sale 10.30 am – 12 noon www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.info IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH Shipshape Saturdays (See Sat 5 March) IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH What a Performance: All Aboard (see Sat 5 March) WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE The Way Back Home by Big Wooden Horse Theatre Company

Sun 20 March

CRESCENT ROAD COMMUNITY CENTRE, CRESCENT RD, BRINNINGTON Make Your Own Lantern for the Brinnington Lantern Procession (see Sat 26 March) Free – all welcome. 10 am - 4 pm Children must be accompanied by an adult 0161 480 7663 www.stockport.gov.uk

Mon 21 March

THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Music Adventures Explore the artworks through music and movement. Enjoy singing songs and musical games.

10.30 – 11.30 am or 11.30 am – 12.30 pm.

Booking necessary 0161 275 7450 www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

MANDLEY PARK, BROUGHTON, SALFORD Friendship Day Fun activities for everyone to enjoy. Meet at the picnic area.

1 to 4 pm. Free 0161 793 4219 www.salford.gov.uk/countryparks

THE LOWRY Free Family Sunday Celebrate Unlocking Salford Quays trail Using fun materials you can make your own pop-up piece of art inspired by the Lowry’s brand new sculptures.

Ages 5 - 11. Drop in 11 am – 3 pm The Galleries 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

Mon 28 March

THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Dance Adventures Dance like a sculpture, boogie like a textile and wiggle like a painting 10.30 – 11.30 am or 11.30 am – 12.30 pm.

Booking necessary 0161 275 7450 www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

Thu 31 March - Thu 28 April

GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE Creative play sessions Easter basket making, bunny masks, colouring competition and easter egg hunts in the Glo garden.

11 am and 2 pm. Glo members & Glo first timers. (not on Mon 25 April) 0844 800 7380 www.glofamily.com

Thu 31 March

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE Busy Bodies (See Thu 3 March)

Sat 2 April

BURY ART GALLERY Saturday Workshop: Paper Flowers Spoil your mum with a beautifully crafted bouquet. (See Sat 5 March) IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH What a Performance: All Aboard (see Sat 5 March) IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH Shipshape Saturdays (See Sat 5 March)

Oliver Jeffers, award-winning author of How to Catch a Star returns with an intergalactic tale about a little boy seeking adventure. So what happens when your plane runs out of petrol and you land on the moon? Go and see the play and find out!

Age 3+. Duration 50 mins 11.30 am & 2.30 pm. £6.50 / £4.50 0161 912 5616 www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

THE LOWRY Saturday Playhouse – Make Me a Star Create giant masks inspired by your favourite rock band or pop princess and be a star for a day. (See Sat 5 March)

Sun 3 April

CHEADLE Kids Car Boot and Swap Shop (see Sun 6 March)

March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk 13

Out and About TATTON PARK Mothering Sunday Treat Mum this year to tea and cakes in Tatton’s Mansion and a visit to the estate’s beautiful 50 acre garden. Work off the sandwiches and cake with a stroll around the award winning gardens. £18 per person. Price includes car entry. Prebooking essential on 01625 374 456 01625 374400 www.tattonpark.org.uk

Mon 4 April

THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Drama Adventures (See Mon 7 March)

Tue 5 April

THE LOWRY Drama Zone – Easter Fun at the Farm Get ready for some amazing adventures at the farm in this improvisation and storytelling workshop inspired by Shaun the Sheep. The workshop will be followed by a practical performance demonstration.

Ages 5 – 11. 11 am – 12.30 pm £3.50 (£1.75 Salford residents). The Studio 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH What a Performance: All Aboard (see Sat 5 March) IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH Shipshape Saturdays (See Sat 5 March) THE MANCHESTER MUSEUM Big Saturday: Planet youth The Museum’s Youth Board are taking over this Big Saturday – check out the website to find out what they’ve planned.

11 am – 4 pm.

Drop in, free, all ages welcome 0161 275 2648 www.manchester.ac.uk/museum

Sun 10 April

CIRCLE CLUB, BARTON SQUARE, MANCHESTER Baby Loves Disco

Thu 7 April – Sat 7 May

OCTAGON THEATRE, BOLTON The Demolition Man

A new drama based on the life of Fred Dibnah.

Tickets £9.50 - £21.50. Evenings 7.30 pm.

Matinees Fri 8, Sat 16, Wed 20, Wed 4, Sat 7, 2 pm. Schools matinee Tue 12 1.30 pm 01204 520661 www.octagonbolton.co.uk

Thu 7 April

THE LOWRY Drama Zone – Easter Fun at the Farm (See Tue 5 April) WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE Busy Bodies (See Thu 3 March)

Fri 8 April

THE LOWRY Under 5s First Steps (see Fri 11 March)

Sat 9 – Sun 10 April

THE LOWRY One Little Word M6 Theatre Company A beautiful and gentle story of friendship, power struggles and the rich world of creative play with only one spoken word! So who will get to be the only captain of the ship?

Ages 3 +. Sat 2 pm, Sun 12 noon & 2 pm. £8.50 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

Sat 9 April

BURY ART GALLERY Saturday Workshop: Drawing A 3D spring scene. (See Sat 5 March)

GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE Camille Wesser Easter portrait days Enjoy a free portrait session for your child with this talented photographer 10 – 2 pm. Glo members & Glo first timers 0844 800 7380 www.glofamily.com

THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Art Adventures (See Tue 14 March)

Sat 16 – Fri 22 April

DUNHAM MASSEY Calling all Servants!

Family fun for the school holidays 12 noon – 4 pm 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey

Tue 12 – Thu 14 April

HAT WORKS, STOCKPORT Easter Chick Making Popular craft sessions where you make yourself a cute Easter chick.

Ages 5 – 11. 10.30 am – 12 noon and 1 – 2.30 pm. £3 or £2.50 (Leisure Key with limited places). Booking essential 0161 355 7770 www.hatworks.org.uk

Tue 12 April

DUNHAM MASSEY Bake and Take Family fun for the holidays 12 noon – 4 pm. Booking essential 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey

Wed 6 April

THE LOWRY Art Zone – Fabulous Flick Books Join an artist and create your own flick book story in this fun workshop.

Ages 5 – 11. 11 am – 12.30 pm £3.50 (£1.57 Salford residents). The Studio 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

Mon 11 April

Dance away those April showers at Manchester’s grooviest club.

2 – 5 pm, tickets £8 per person, non walkers free www.babylovesdisco.co.uk

Mon 11 – Mon 25 April

HAT WORKS, STOCKPORT Easter Drop in Hat Making Pick up a pack of craft materials from reception then decorate your hat on the gallery floor.

Suitable for all ages.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

11.30 am – 3.30 pm.

Free, drop in.

0161 355 7770 www.hatworks.org.uk HAT WORKS, STOCKPORT Children’s Tours Step back in time to learn how hats were made and experience what it was like to be a hatter’s apprentice!

Ages 5 – 11 year olds. 2.30 – 3.30 pm £2 per person, £1 for accompanying adult.

Booking essential.

0161 355 7770 www.hatworks.org.uk HAT WORKS, STOCKPORT Easter Bunny Trail Follow the Hat Works Bunny Trail and see what you can find – there may be a prize at the end!

Ages 5 – 11 years.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Free, Drop in 0161 355 7770 www.hatworks.org.uk STOCKPORT AIR RAID SHELTERS Children’s Explorer Tours Exciting children’s version of the ever popular Explorer Tour. Brave the darkened tunnels as you go back in time and experience the life of a child during the war.

Suitable for ages 7+.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

6.45 – 8 pm £3.95 per child, accompanying adults £2 Booking Essential 0161 474 1940 www.airraidshelters.org.uk

LYME PARK Spring has Sprung Family friendly guided tour of the garden.

Children of all ages welcome. Garden admission applies. 1 – 3 pm, NT members free 01663 762023 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lymepark THE LOWRY Art Zone – Arty April Get inspired by spring and make felt flowers, woolly sheep and more in this creative workshop.

Ages 5 – 11. 11 am – 12.30 pm. £3.50 (£1.75 Salford residents). The Studio 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

TATTON PARK Lambing Week at the Farm Perhaps you will be lucky enough to see lambs being born, as this year Tatton have made a special effort to synchronise their ewes to lamb within a 10 day period. Live viewing via their webcam. Sheepy quiz and collage. (Closed Monday.)

12pm - 5pm (last entry 4pm).

Normal charges apply 01625 374400 www.tattonpark.org.uk

Sat 16 April

BURY ART GALLERY Saturday Workshop: Illuminated Lettering Create a stunning piece of text art (See Sat 5 March) THE LOWRY Saturday Playhouse – Paper Puppet People Design your own scenes based on Shaun the Sheep, his farm and friends and fill them with moving farmers, cats, dogs, and of course, sheep! (See Sat 5 March) WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE ComedySportz (See Sat 19 March)

Mon 18 – Thu 21 April

THE MANCHESTER MUSEUM Chinese food, play and writing

Wed 13 April

DUNHAM MASSEY Dunham Detectives: Who’s coming to dinner?

12 noon – 4 pm 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE Enjoy-a-Ball Easter Party Fun and games with balls of all shapes and sizes with the Enjoy-a-Ball crew 10 am, 2½ - 4 year olds. £5 drop in Glo members & Glo first timers 0844 800 7380 www.glofamily.com THE LOWRY Drama Zone – Easter Fun at the Farm (See Tue 5 April)

Thu 14 April

DUNHAM MASSEY Deer Walk 1 & 3 pm 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey THE LOWRY Art Zone – Arty April (See Tue 12 April) WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE Busy Bodies (See Thu 3 March)

Fri 15 April

DUNHAM MASSEY Little Green Fingers 12 noon – 4 pm 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey

Make jam tarts (which were used in China as a feast for the soul in the afterlife), shadow puppets and learn some simple Chinese characters.

All ages welcome. Most activities free and drop-in. 11 am – 4 pm 0161 275 2648 www.manchester.ac.uk/museum

Mon 18 – Fri 29 April

QUARRY BANK MILL, STYAL Easter at the Mill Egg-cellent trails, workshops and hands on activities throughout the Easter holidays. See website for full list, charges and booking details.

12 noon – 4 pm 01625 445 845 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarrybankmill

Mon 18 April

THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Music Adventures (See Mon 21 March)

Tue 19 – Thu 21 April

HAT WORKS, STOCKPORT Easter Bunny Making Popular craft sessions where you make a cute Easter Bunny.

Ages 5 – 11. 10.30 am – 12 noon and 1 – 2.30 pm. £3 or £2.50 (Leisure Key with limited places). Booking essential.

0161 355 7770 www.hatworks.org.uk

14 March/April 2011 Families Manchester For more events visit www.familiesmanchester.co.uk/whatson

Out & andAbout About Out Tue 19 – Sun 24 April

THE LOWRY Shaun the Sheep in Shaun’s Big Show Shaun is stage struck and decides to put on a very special show for his friends. Get ready for fabulous madcap mayhem as they dance and prance their way through a series of wonderful adventures.

2.30 pm matinees Thu, Fri, Sat & Sun 7 pm Tue – Sun. £15.50 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

Tue 19 April

BURY ART GALLERY Easter Cards: design and make your own Easter card & poem 10.30 – 12 noon and 2 – 3.30 pm. 4 – 12 years. £2. Booking necessary.

0161 253 5878 www.bury.gov.uk/events GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE Camille Wesser Easter portrait days (See Fri 15 April) THE LOWRY Art Zone – Fabulous Flick Books (See Wed 6 April) THE PEOPLE’S HISTORY MUSEUM Living History performance: No Bed of Roses – from the Caribbean to Manchester Meet Gabrielle and help her with her life changing decision to move from the Caribbean to Manchester in the 1950s.

Suitable for over 7s.

No booking required.

Free. 1.30 – 2.15 pm 0161 839 9190 www.phm.org.uk

Wed 20 April

GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE Charity Teddy Bears Picnic In aid of Manchester Childrens Hospital there will be games, crafts and drink and a biscuit for each child. Pyjama Drama will be running themed sessions too. Bring your favourite ted!

10 – 12 am. £2.50 per child Glo members & Glo first timers 0844 800 7380 www.glofamily.com THE LOWRY Drama Zone – Easter Fun at the Farm (See Tue 5 April) THE PEOPLE’S HISTORY MUSEUM Bold, Brilliant Bonnets!

Make a statement with your brilliant bonnet inspired by what you’ve seen in the museum!

Suitable for all ages. 1.30 – 3.30 pm No booking required. £2 0161 839 9190 www.phm.org.uk

Thu 21 April

BURY ART GALLERY Bunny Bags: make a bunny bag for collecting your Easter treats (See Tue 19 April) GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE Easter Bonnets Make a bonnet and take part in the Glo Easter Parade 11 – 11.45 am Glo members & Glo first timers 0844 800 7380 www.glofamily.com THE LOWRY Art Zone – Fabulous Flick Books (See Wed 6 April)

THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Arty Picnics Bring your family and some food and meet an artist for fun creative activities. Don’t worry if the weather is bad as the picnic can be in the Gallery surrounded by sunny landscapes!

All ages welcome, no need to book.

11 am – 12.30 pm 0161 275 7450 www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE Busy Bodies (See Thu 3 March)

Fri 22 – Mon 25 April

DUNHAM MASSEY Easter Eggstravaganza Sponsored by Cadburys!

11 – 4 pm 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey LYME PARK Hop around Lyme this Easter Fabulous family trails in the house and garden, with a special Easter prize.

Garden/house ticket required.

11 am – 4 pm NT members free £2 per trail.

01663 762023 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lymepark

Sat 23 – Mon 25 April

TATTON PARK Alice in Wonderland Easter Festival Join favourite Lewis Carroll characters including Alice, the White Rabbit and Mad Hatter and take part in lots of activities across the Park.

Follow the White Rabbit to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the Gardens.

At the farm the Queen of Hearts will be weaving some magical stories and you can meet the lovely spring lambs and follow the Easter egg trail.

Normal opening times and prices apply 01625 374400 www.tattonpark.org.uk

Sat 23 April

BURY ART GALLERY Saturday Workshop: Bunny Bags (See Sat 5 March) Make a bunny bag for collecting your Easter treats.

BURY MET Stig of the Dump Image Musical Theatre return to the Met with another fantastic children’s show. Clive King’s wonderful story of Barney and his Neolithic friend Stig and their many adventures in and around the chalk pit, near his grandfather’s house, culminate in a fascinating journey back in time to the days when there were only Stigs and stone circles.

Ages 5 +. 2.30 pm. £6 / £4 members 0161 761 2216 www.themet.biz

Sun 24 April

THE LOWRY Free Family Sunday (See Sun 27 March) Discover how to make your own mini-theatre and bring it to life with tiny puppets.

THE LOWRY Lost Sock Princess Puppet Lab Who wants to be different? Wear odd clothes?

Have a pet sock? If you ever wondered why there are so many odd socks in the world find out now and join the Lost Sock Princess on this magical adventure. Bring an odd sock of your own and join in the show!

Ages 3 +. 12 noon & 2 pm. £8.50 0843 208 6005 www.thelowry.com

The Manchester Museum - Magic Carpet: Dinosaurs. See below for details

Mon 25 April

THE LOWRY Easter Sheep Parade Get creative over the Easter weekend by making a springtime sheep to graze in the galleries.

Ages 5 – 11. Drop in 12 – 3 pm Free. The Galleries www.thelowry.com THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Dance Adventures (See Mon 28 March)

Tue 26 – Fri 29 April

THE MANCHESTER MUSEUM Chinese food, play and writing (See Mon 18 April)

Tue 26 April

BURY ART GALLERY Springtime Bonnets: create your own striking bonnet (See Tue 19 April) DUNHAM MASSEY Storytelling 12 noon – 4 pm 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey THE LOWRY Drama Zone – Easter Fun at the Farm (See Tue 5 April)

Wed 27 April

BURY MET Wolf Tales Are you afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Pickled Image use puppetry, shadows, recipes and songs to create a spectacular and hilarious expose of the truth behind these classic fairy tales.

Ages 5 +. 2.30 pm. £8 / £6 concessions 0161 761 2216 www.themet.biz DUNHAM MASSEY Dunham Detectives: Who’s the poacher?

12 noon – 4 pm 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey THE LOWRY Art Zone – Arty April (See Tue 12 April)

Thu 28 April

BURY ART GALLERY A Royal Workshop: celebrate the royal wedding in a crafty way (See Tue 19 April) DUNHAM MASSEY Spring has Sprung 1 & 3 pm 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey

THE LOWRY Drama Zone – Easter Fun at the Farm (See Tue 5 April) THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Arty Picnics (See Tue 21 April) WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE Busy Bodies (See Thu 3 March)

Fri 29 & Sat 30 April

DUNHAM MASSEY Grow Your Own Seed planting plus composting tips – all materials provided. 12 noon – 4 pm 0161 941 1025 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey

Fri 29 April

GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE Royal Wedding Celebration Weekend Creative Play – make a crown, make a cut out and dress wedding figure.

11 am and 2 pm. Glo members & Glo first timers 0844 800 7380 www.glofamily.com THE MANCHESTER MUSEUM Magic Carpet: Dinosaurs Join in the dinosaurumpus with T. rex, stegosaurus and triceratops at this storytelling and activitiy session for under 5s.

Book from 22 April, £1 per child. Under 5s and their families/carers. 11 am – 12 pm.

0161 275 2648 www.manchester.ac.uk/museum

Sat 30 – Sun 31 April

GLO FAMILY, CHEADLE Royal Wedding Celebration Weekend Decorate a special wedding cake to keep and eat.

2 pm. Glo members & Glo first timers 0844 800 7380 www.glofamily.com

Sat 30 April

BURY ART GALLERY Saturday Workshop: A Royal Workshop Celebrate the royal wedding in a crafty way (See Sat 5 March) THE LOWRY Saturday Playhouse – Dream up a Dragon Create a fierce or friendly dragon puppet or model from scrap and sparkly materials.

(See Sat 5 March) WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, SALE From Here to There Tell Tale Hearts present a show about bridges from ones you build to hungry trolls, greedy goats and making friends.

18 months – 4 years. 35 mins + 15 mins play session at end of show. 11.30 am & 2.30 pm. £6.50 & £4.50 0161 912 5616 www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

March/April 2011 Families Manchester www.familiesmanchester.co.uk 15